title: Quality of life and its correlates in caregivers of stroke survivors from a Nigerian population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed at determining the quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of stroke survivors in a Nigeria population and some patient and caregiver-related variables that may be associated with it.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of the QOL of volunteering informal caregivers of stroke survivors in purposively selected tertiary health centres from South-Eastern Nigeria was done using the SF-12 questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers rated their QOL fairly well. Older age, female gender and closeness in relationship to survivor were caregivers' variables that were significantly related to poorer QOL scores. Being a woman close relative is associated with lower mental health scores while being an older close relative contributed to lower physical health score (P < 0.05). Caregivers' scores on the physical and mental health domains correlated moderately with each other (r = 0.52) and highly with their overall QOL scores (r = 0.81 and 0.88).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caring for stroke survivors in Nigeria seems to have adverse effects on the QOL of closer relatives who are either women or older. There is a need for clinicians to help those caregivers at risk find ways of improving and optimizing their QOL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. coakosile@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Christopher O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Akosile
authors.forename: Emmanuel C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Okoye
authors.forename: M Joseph
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nwankwo
authors.forename: Claudius O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Akosile
authors.forename: Chidozie E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Mbada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D011788:Quality of Life; D020521:Stroke / Q000451:nursing*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors; D014838:Volunteers